Fast movement when it counts
Out-of-hours calls get answered and assessed quickly, so a dangerous structure doesn't sit exposed to weather or public access any longer than it has to.
Emergency Scaffolding
Emergency ScaffoldingIn Hadlow,Day Or Night
When a wall moves, a chimney cracks or a storm rips through a roof, you need a scaffold up fast and put up properly. We answer the phone out of hours and get a team moving.
Phone answered out of hours; fast response, day or night.
CISRS-carded teams
Every scaffolder trained and card-checked
£10m insurance
Public and employers' liability cover
RAMS on handover
Full paperwork, even for urgent jobs
Family-run
Katie & Mason Thompson, based in Hadlow
The Thompsons Towers standard
Emergency Scaffolding Backed By A Team You Can Check
CISRS-carded scaffolders
Every scaffolder trained, carded and checked before they set foot on your property.
£10m public and employers' liability
Full cover in place on every domestic and commercial job we take on.
Free survey, quote in one day
We survey at no charge and send an itemised written quote back within one day.
Six-week hire included
Six weeks of hire as standard, with weekly inspections throughout.
The service
Scaffolding when something has already gone wrong
Emergency scaffolding is not the same job as a planned extension or a re-roof booked in three weeks ahead. It's a response to something that has already happened, a slipped chimney stack, a gable end bulging after a storm, a party wall that's moved, a roof that's lost its covering overnight. The scaffold has to go up correctly and quickly, because the alternative is a building left exposed or a hazard left standing over a pavement or a neighbour's garden.
We're based in Hadlow, near Tonbridge, and cover Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Gravesend and into London. When you call, Katie takes the details on the phone and Mason assesses what's needed; sometimes from photographs sent straight over, sometimes from a same-day visit. There's no waiting for a scheduled survey slot when a structure is actually dangerous.
Emergency work still has to meet the same standards as any other scaffold we put up. That means a competent design decision on site, secure ties and bracing appropriate to the damage, and a scaffold tag confirming it's been inspected before anyone; including our own team; relies on it. Speed doesn't mean corners cut; it means the same job done without the usual lead time.
Insurers, loss adjusters and building control often need to see a structure made safe before repair works can even be assessed. We can supply RAMS and inspection records that support an insurance claim, so the paperwork trail exists from the first day the scaffold goes up, not retrofitted afterwards.
Once the immediate danger is dealt with, we can leave the scaffold in place for the full repair; six weeks included as standard; with weekly inspections continuing throughout, so the same structure that made the property safe on day one carries through to the roofers, bricklayers or builders who fix it properly.
Who it's for
Homeowners, landlords, letting agents, insurers and loss adjusters dealing with storm damage, structural movement, fire damage or a dangerous, exposed building.
When you need it
Fallen or leaning chimney stacks, storm-stripped roofs, cracked or bulging walls, fire damage, vehicle impact damage, or any structure a surveyor has flagged as unsafe.
Why a professional scaffold
An unsecured or badly propped structure can fail further. A properly designed and tagged scaffold stabilises the situation and protects the public, neighbours and anyone working near it.
What it costs to wait
What goes wrong when emergency scaffolding is rushed or skipped
Genuine emergencies push people towards the fastest available option rather than the right one. That's understandable, but it's where real risk creeps in; both to the building and to whoever ends up working underneath it.
Structures propped, not scaffolded
Timber props or borrowed ladders might look like a quick fix, but they don't distribute load properly and can fail under further movement or weight from wind or debris.
No inspection record
A scaffold put up in a hurry without a tag or documented check leaves nobody accountable for whether it's actually safe, which matters hugely for insurance and liability.
Left up too long, unchecked
Emergency scaffolds sometimes stay in place for months while repairs and insurance claims drag on, but without ongoing inspection, ties can loosen and boards can shift unnoticed.
Mistakes we get called out to fix
- Calling the first available contractor without checking they're CISRS-carded
- Accepting a scaffold with no scaff tag or written inspection record
- Assuming any scaffolder can assess structural damage; some jobs need an engineer too
- Leaving the scaffold up long-term without arranging the regular re-inspections it needs
- Not telling your insurer a scaffold has gone up, which can affect a later claim
- Forgetting neighbours and pedestrians; emergency scaffolds still need public safety measures
Our process
From First Call To
Signed-Off Scaffold
01
You call
Katie takes the details; what's happened, where, and what's at risk. If it's genuinely urgent, we prioritise it over standard bookings.
02
Assessment
Mason assesses the damage, either from photos sent immediately or a site visit, to work out what scaffold configuration will actually make it safe.
03
Scaffold erected
A team is sent to erect the structure needed to stabilise and protect the building, using standard fittings and ties suited to the actual damage present.
04
Inspection and tag
The scaffold is checked, tagged and handed over with RAMS, so you and any insurer have a clear record it's fit for purpose from day one.
05
Ongoing checks
If the scaffold stays up for repairs, we return weekly to inspect it for as long as it's needed, keeping the paperwork current throughout.
What you get
Specific Outcomes,
Not Vague Promises
Same safety standard under pressure
Urgency never means skipping the scaffold tag, the tie pattern or the inspection; the structure is engineered properly even when the phone call came at 11pm.
Built to hold through the whole repair
The scaffold isn't a temporary prop; it's a proper structure that can stay in place through the full repair period with ongoing weekly checks.
One phone call instead of a quote-chase
You're not gathering three written quotes while a chimney leans further; we assess, price fairly against any genuine quote you do have, and move.
Paper trail from the first day
RAMS and scaff tags are supplied on handover, which matters when an insurer or loss adjuster later asks how and when the property was made safe.
One team you can actually reach
Katie and Mason handle communication directly rather than routing you through a call centre, so updates come from the people who actually know the job.
In detail
How we approach emergency scaffolding in detail
Every emergency call is different, but the way we approach the technical side follows the same logic each time, assess the actual damage, choose the right structure, and don't compromise on inspection.
Materials used
Emergency jobs use the same standard scaffold tube and fitting system as any planned job; there's no lesser-grade material kept back for urgent work. Boards, standards, ledgers and transoms are selected to suit the specific damage: a leaning gable might need heavier bracing than a straightforward roof-access job.
Where a structure is genuinely unstable, we may use additional raking shores or extra ties tied back into sound brickwork away from the damaged section, rather than relying on the compromised wall itself to take load. The materials don't change; the configuration does, based on what Mason finds on site.
Methods and sequencing
The first priority on any emergency job is making the area safe for our own team before anyone climbs anything; that can mean assessing from ground level first, checking for loose debris, and clearing a safe working zone before erection starts. Only once that's done does the scaffold itself go up.
Sequencing on a damaged structure often differs from a standard build: ties may need to go in earlier than usual, and boards are sometimes limited to essential lifts only until the full extent of the damage is understood, rather than boarding out the whole structure on day one.
Service variations
Some emergencies need scaffolding only, a stabilising structure with no further work planned until an insurer or engineer has assessed the damage. Others need scaffolding as the first step of an immediate repair, in which case we plan handover and boarding to suit the roofers or bricklayers coming in behind us.
We also get called in where a structure has already been temporarily propped by someone else and needs a proper scaffold to replace it; in that case we assess the existing propping before removing it, rather than assuming it's safe to take away.
Situations it applies to
Storm damage is the most common trigger; lost roof coverings, displaced ridge tiles, or a chimney stack that's shifted in high wind. Structural movement from other causes, like subsidence or a vehicle strike, is the other main category, where a wall or corner needs supporting and protecting while an engineer assesses it.
Fire damage is a further situation where scaffolding is often needed urgently, both to allow safe access for assessment and to protect a weakened structure from further collapse or weather ingress before repairs can begin.
Residential vs commercial differences
A residential emergency, a semi-detached chimney or a garden wall; usually needs a smaller, faster response and closer coordination with insurers acting for one homeowner. Access is often tighter, and keeping a family's home usable while the scaffold is up matters as much as the structural side.
Commercial emergencies, such as damage to a shop front or a commercial roof, more often involve public safety measures like hoarding and pedestrian protection, and coordination with landlords, tenants and sometimes local authority building control before work can proceed.
Common questions
Emergency Scaffolding
Questions Answered
Still unsure? Ring 07355 037000 and speak to Katie or Mason directly.
How much does emergency scaffolding cost?+
It depends on the scale of damage and access, so we don't quote blind: Mason assesses what's needed and we price fairly. Our price promise means we'll beat any genuine written scaffolding quote you've already had.
How quickly can you get to us?+
We answer the phone out of hours and move as fast as the situation and our teams allow; we don't promise a fixed response time, but genuine emergencies are prioritised over standard bookings.
What happens when you arrive on site?+
Mason assesses the actual damage first, then decides what scaffold configuration will make the structure safe. The team erects it, and it's inspected and tagged before we leave it in your hands.
Is the work guaranteed?+
Every scaffold we erect, emergency or otherwise, is guaranteed to be secure, safe and fit for its intended purpose, with the same inspection standard applied regardless of how urgently it went up.
How long can the scaffold stay up?+
Six weeks is included as standard, which usually covers the initial assessment and often the repair itself. If repairs take longer, we extend and keep up the weekly inspections throughout.
Do you really work outside normal hours?+
Yes; the phone is answered out of hours for genuine emergencies. Our standard office hours are Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm, but urgent calls outside that window are still picked up.
Will you provide paperwork for my insurance claim?+
Yes. We supply RAMS, scaff tags and inspection records on handover, which gives you and your insurer or loss adjuster a documented record of when and how the structure was made safe.
Do you cover my area?+
We cover Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Hadlow, Kings Hill, Paddock Wood, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Gravesend and London, across Kent, Sussex and London.
Related scaffolding services
See every service on the scaffolding services overview or read more about Thompsons Towers.
Areas we cover
- Tonbridge
- Tunbridge Wells
- Hadlow
- Kings Hill
- Paddock Wood
- Maidstone
- Sevenoaks
- Ashford
- Canterbury
- Dartford
- Gravesend
- London
Postcode not listed? Check our coverage or ring the office.
Free survey · Quote in one day
Something gone wrong on your building?
Call us now.
Katie and Mason are ready to take the details and get a team assessing the damage. Phone answered out of hours; fast response, day or night.
- CISRS-carded scaffolders
- £10m public & employers' liability
- RAMS, scaff tags & inspections
- Six-week hire included as standard
Opening hours
- Monday9am – 5pm
- Tuesday9am – 5pm
- Wednesday9am – 5pm
- Thursday9am – 5pm
- Friday9am – 5pm
- Saturday9am – 5pm
- SundayClosed
Phone answered out of hours for emergencies.